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A vicious, unrelenting brawl tore through the streets of Verona last month when notorious family rivals resorted to violent warfare.
An intense yet monotonous feud between the Greco and Gallo families escalated rapidly, becoming an insatiable blood hunt, claiming the lives of 17 and destroying such of countless more.
Gunfire frightened many into submission as they fled unscathed. Several remained, continuing to fire, until their actions led to their death when misguided flaming missiles collided with petrol pumps at a nearby station; resulting in a fatal blast.
Described by Giorgio Napolatino, President of the Italian Republic, as 'unlike anything I have ever known, or that I was ever to expect from this; our fair, fair city' the sickening conflict rapidly evolved into an international outrage.
23:13. Saturday 3rd April 2008.
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖs became cloaked by night, floorboards settled; dim light flickered upon a desolate side road, and a young mother unwittingly walked to her death, she, her unborn child and 15 others were killed that night.
Yet one month on, one question is yet to be answered. What happened that night in Verona?

Blame struggles to reside with either mob, responsibility for the ignition of the battle denied by both the Greco and the Gallo family, tossed carelessly between the two, neither willing to accept their role but all too willing to play their part.
But why did the enmity culminate so devastatingly? Love; truly the modern epitome of the ever- lingering Romeo and Juliet tale. So the question arises, under these circumstances can the actions be justified? Is condemned love a validation for murder? The Gallo family insist they were 'not influenced by the relationship between there son Marcus and Adrienna Greco and that the Greco's allegations led them to defend the honour of their family name' The Gallo's allege that Adrienna was raped repeatedly by Marcus, and they 'fought with the intention to hurt him and his family, but never was it their intention to harm anyone else or damage the city they love'.
Very little is certain about what ensued on the night of the third, frenzied fire lead to the deaths of some, a tragic explosion of a family owned petrol station killed 10 instantaneously. But with endless warped misconceptions and tireless hearsay it's becoming ever more difficult to distinguish those seeking truth and those craving notoriety.
'All we can trust now is the word of our people, trust that when they place their hand on the bible they will look into their hearts and know the right thing to do' says Mezzo Izaliona, Chief of Italian state police. But is it possible to trust the word of those that callously murdered with absolute disregard to consequence? Or even the vague recollection of startled onlookers, still recovering from interrupted sleep, dazed, confused and too afraid to help?
Desperately Salvaged. Recollection?
Brianna Gratino, 19, began the short walk home from work at 23:10 and was accompanied by Brunela Esposito for a short period of time until Esposito reached her home. Gratino then took her usual shortcut ' down a dimly lit side alley ' this is where her body was found. It is believed that she was knocked to the ground, trampled and caught in brazened rifle crossfire as the two mobs pursued one another recklessly. She was knocked unconscious and shot twice in the stomach; leaving her and her unborn son dead.
As the gangs - 3 of whom were already dead -made their way to the main street, victims looked on in futile horror and disbelief as the Neolithic savages mindlessly reduced centuries of toil to mere wreckage; insignificant to those in the pursuit of pride.
7 men were caught in the crossfire as they tried to cease the debauchery.
A father a mother and their two children were torn limb from limb as they slept.
A mother lay dying in an alley.
What can be said?
A torrent of merciless bloodshed; halted not by the death of the first, or even by the anguished cries of a once was mother, but ended only by an epic blast akin to such wholesale carnage that is modern human conflict.